The NES Classic Edition is a thing of beauty. A pint-sized recreation of Nintendo's beloved first console, it comes pre-loaded with 30 games that represent a cross-section of favorites and deep cuts from the NES era. It's also HDMI-ready and USB-powered, meaning you can plug it into just about anything.

The equally pint-sized $60 price tag makes NES Classic a prime target for holiday gift-giving. But what about the 30 games? For every Super Mario Bros. or Metroid there's a StarTropics or Ice Climber. You want to know what you're getting, right?

Read on for 30 reviews of each NES Classic game, in 30 words apiece.

Balloon Fight

Balloon Fight is a Nintendo-fied take on Joust, with extra bells, whistles and bird-beaked helmets. Your balloon-borne Mario knockoff flaps around the screen, trying to pop all the enemy balloons.

Bubble Bobble

An inscrutable action-platformer with multiple endings. Bub and Bob the Bubble Dragons fight through 100 levels, using bubble breath to trap and destroy enemies. Don't confuse it with Puzzle Bobble.

Castlevania

Castlevania's quest to destroy Dracula still captivates with its intense challenge, imaginative world and memorable array of demon spawn-extinguishing weapons. 30 years later, this is still a top-tier NES game.

Castlevania II

Simon's Quest ditched the original Castlevania's level-based play in favor of an open world with RPG trappings. It worked. This is the first Castlevania as you probably know it.

Donkey Kong

Donkey Kong is an arcade gaming classic, but the NES release isn't fit to slip on the original's banana peels. The console's hardware limitations led to removed levels and cutscenes.

Donkey Kong Jr.

Mario has locked up his big ape nemesis in a cage and it's up to Donkey Kong Jr. to rescue his dad. Arguably a better game than the original Kong.

Double Dragon II

Did you know Double Dragon for NES didn't let two players bust heads simultaneously? That didn't happen until this sequel, which more faithfully captures the spirit of this arcade classic.

Dr. Mario

It might look like a Tetris knockoff, but Dr. Mario -- with its quirky personality and unique falling block puzzles -- was and still is one of the best NES games available.

Excitebike

Excitebike is one of those quintessential NES games. Its side-scrolling take on motocross racing stands out thanks to eye-catching art, simple-yet-involved controls and a first-of-its-kind "design mode" for building tracks.

Final Fantasy

Final Fantasy was instrumental in popularizing Japanese RPGs for an American audience. The first game in the series is spare compared to later releases, but the DNA is immediately recognizable.

Galaga: Demons of Death

Shoot aliens, score points. Repeat until dead. That's the basic premise of Galaga. Just don't let the weird subtitle fool you; this is the arcade version, ported over to NES.

Ghosts 'n Goblins

A legendarily difficult game, and an early entry in the "run-and-gun" genre. Ghosts 'n Goblins didn't change much in the move from arcades to NES. It's still hard as hell.

Gradius

Gradius is a side-scrolling space shoot 'em up with cool power-ups and a historic badge of honor: it was the very first video game to introduce the legendary Konami Code.

Ice Climber

Using only a wooden mallet and their wits, Ice Climbers Popo and Nana make their way up 32 mountains, busting ice blocks and enemy heads as they brave the elements.

Kid Icarus

Kid Icarus isn’t as well-designed as your memories of it might suggest. Punishing platform jumping and action mesh poorly with RPG mechanics. The catchy music is still amazing, at least.

Kirby's Adventure

Kirby's debut, 'nuff said. The lovable pink orb creature's inaugural adventure from the latter days of the NES is as eye-catching and enjoyable to play as ever. Get on it.

Mario Bros.

Mario Bros. first established Mario and Luigi as New York City plumbers long before either one ate a magic mushroom. A simple game that set the stage for Super Mario.

Mega Man 2

Mega Man 2 is the best game in Capcom's series. It nails a near-perfect balance between difficulty and accessibility, with a memorable cast of bosses and new-at-the-time password-based saved games.

Metroid

Many NES games need no introduction, and Metroid is one of them. Samus Aran's first adventure -- which also revealed her gender -- feels as fresh today as it did in 1987.

Ninja Gaiden

Ninja Gaiden for NES emphasized story at a time when games didn't venture too far beyond: "Your princess is in another castle." Slick action-platforming mixes well with creative, anime-inspired cutscenes.

Pac-Man

Pac-Man was an arcade hit for years before Nintendo's console launched. This NES version is a direct port, though considerably harder to play with a D-pad versus an arcade joystick.

Punch-Out!!

This may be the Mike Tyson-free Punch-Out!!, but with the exception of a new final boss -- Mr. Dream -- the games are identical. Still one of the best boxing games ever.

StarTropics

A deep cut action-adventure that borrows liberally from The Legend of Zelda, to great effect. StarTropics' surprise appearance in the NES Classic lineup breathes new life into this forgotten gem.

Super C

Why do we get Super C instead of the original Contra? This sequel is fine -- even though it ditches the Konami Code -- but there's just no replacing the original game.

Super Mario Bros.

Often imitated, never duplicated. The original Super Mario Bros. is easily the best-known NES game. It might seem simple by today's standards, but it's still an absolute joy to play.

Super Mario Bros. 2

Super Mario Bros. 2 wasn't conceived as a Mario game, but it became one for its North American release. That's why there are four playable characters and totally different rules.

Super Mario Bros. 3

The best Super Mario game, bar none. This one introduced the beloved Tanooki Suit, the concept of a stored inventory and a multi-path overworld, all bolstered by standard-setting level design.

Tecmo Bowl

Before there was Madden, there was Tecmo Bowl. Featuring player names and stats from the 1988 NFL season, this NES classic, amazingly, holds up. And yes, Bo Jackson still dominates.

The Legend of Zelda

Try playing The Legend of Zelda without looking at any walkthroughs. It's... not forgiving. But that's the whole point. Zelda did Dark Souls long before there was a Dark Souls.

Zelda II: The Adventure of Link

People either love or hate Zelda II, but there's no denying how different it is. This sequel is an RPG first, action-adventure second. It's the most un-Zelda Zelda game around.